Thursday, 28 June 2012

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the release of Love Me Do with a special performance by the Mersey Beatles at the Grimsby Central Hall on October 6, 2012.

This is a fitting venue to celebrate such a historic occasion – the 700-seat theatre dates back to 1936, and has the original Art Deco decor. It is the oldest continuous concert venue in North East Lincolnshire and is considered by many to be the ‘home of real music.’

Wednesday, 27 June 2012

Well what can I say but what a fantastic weekend. I've had so many text messages, e-mails, and even voice mail, saying how much everyone enjoyed themselves. Some of the comments were that the weekend was full of colour, fun, laughter and togetherness all set against the beautiful backdrop of the Irish sea and the Welsh hills and countryside.

The soundtrack for the weekend was the music of The Beatles, brought to you by a selection of the finest musicians here in the UK who all brought an individual style in their presentation of the music of the Fab Four.

From the early days of The Beatles' touring days we had 'The Cavernites' and 'The Rockits'. It was hard to sit down as both bands rocked Friday night away.

Saturday started off right at the beginning of it all, with the sound of Fifties Rock and Roll by 'The Retrobeats' who provided the influences that shaped The Beatles, from Elvis to Buddy to Little Richard.

Next on the journey from those early days right through to Beatlemania, was a tribute to Two Liverpool Teenagers who started the whole thing off: John Winston Lennon and James Paul McCartney. Gary Gibson gave an outstanding performance covering John's love of early Rock and Roll to his classic hits both with The Beatles and solo. Then it happened - John invited Paul to sing with him, and the two of them rocked to 'Get Back' as Neil Tudor joined Gary. Neil continued on to showcase Paul's classic songs both from The Beatles and 'Wings', making a truly great day's entertainment.

Sunday was dedicated to the late, great Victor Spinetti who sadly passed from us only a few days ago. A fantastic interview was played on the big screen of Victor in full flow being interviewed about his time in The Beatles films. This was followed by the showing of a special edition of the 'Magical Mystery Tour' film.

The afternoon continued with a talk by Beatles author, David Bedford, and historian, Kevin Roach, who were joined by Tony Bramwell. Tony had already had the audience in stiches of laughter when he had hosted a special video presentation of 'My Life with The Beatles' on Saturday morning, showing the Beatles promotional films and talking about how they were made on a shoestring budget. Tony now joined David and Kevin and they talked about Liverpool and its connections to North Wales and the start of The Beatles first tours which started along the North Wales coast.

It was then time for another afternoon of live music and we started with a real treat. The sun came out in time for the Beatles barbecue! As people were enjoying the lovely food we were first entertained by the all female Beatles tribute 'The Beatelles' from Liverpool who gave a breathtaking performance, presenting outstanding interpretations of The Beatles music. The applause at times was deafening.

Our last band for the afternoon was a new band not seen before at any Beatles convention, and it was a pleasure to have them make their debut at 'Daytripper Weekender'. All the way from Kendle came 'The Beatle5'; fantastic musicians who played a cross selection of The Beatles music to great appreciation from the audience. This is a band you will definitely see again!

The evening concert was the grand finale and for me there was never any doubt in my mind that there could be any other band good enough to headline the weekend. From Liverpool, we had 'The Mersey Beatles' who performed the whole of their acclaimed theatre show.

With four costume changes covering the whole of The Beatles' career, their show was stunning a visual and audio delight.

The show ended after midnight to a well-deserved standing ovation and cheers that all but took the roof off the hotel!

Three days and nights of Fab Four Fun in the sun, and a splendid time was had by all!

I personally would like to thank the hotel staff at The Beaches Hotel, who were highly praised by all who attended. Thank you for making everyone so welcome to North Wales; you did Prestatyn proud. Thanks also to the special guests and exhibitors, and most of all thank you to the fans who are now friends.

If you have never been to this part of the country before, as many of you had not, I hope you will come again. There is always a warm welcome in North Wales!

We look forward to seeing you next year for 'Daytripper Weekender' 2013 on the 5th -7th of July. Bookings are already being taken. Click here for more details!

All photographs c. Stuart Homer Photography Ltd and used here with his permission. DO NOT download or reproduce without the express permission of the copyright holder.

For more details on Stuart Homer Photography Ltd, and to see more of his fabulous photos from the weekend, click here

On 3rd August 1963 the Beatles took their final bow on the stage at The Cavern Club. The tickets for the show sold out within about half an hour of going on sale. (Tickets were only available to Cavern Club membership card holders.)
On the night the tickets were taken from those attending as they went in. Not many were able to retain their tickets.

Forty-nine years and twenty-two days on from that show we will be auctioning a very rare ticket for that final performance.

The estimate for this ticket is £5000-£6000

This concert wasn’t without incident. The Mersey Beats, who were also on the bill recall that they had told the Beatles to be careful they didn’t slip on stage as the heat from the audience in the poorly ventilated venue was causing condensation on the walls and every where was wet. All the dampness caused the electricity to fuse and the lights went off while the Beatles were on stage. Billy Kinsley (in his biography by Spencer Leigh) recalls that during the power outage Paul and John started to sing “When I’m 64” – a song that would not be released on a Beatles record till 1967 and the Sgt Pepper album!

Mark Lewisohn’s book The Beatles Complete Chronicle says that Bob Wooler remembered that on the night Brian Epstein promised that the Beatles would return one day, but they would never play the venue again.

About a dozen fans camped out over night to be sure of getting a good position inside the club to watch the show. In the early hours of the morning a car pulled up near by and Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr got out, chatted to those waiting for a while and signed autographs. The copy of the first issue of Beatles Monthly pictured below was signed at that time for someone who was waiting out in that queue. This is also being sold in the Annual Liverpool Beatles Auction this August.

The estimate for the autographed magazine above is £500-£600

This will be the 22nd Annual Liverpool Beatles Auction organised by The Beatles Shop on Mathew Street.

The auction will be held on 25th August 2012 at The Paul McCartney Auditorium at The Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts starting at 10.30am.

A viewing day will be held the day before in the same venue from 11am to 4pm.
This year’s auction is now full, but we will start taking items for our 2013 event from January next year.

Auction catalogues will be available about two weeks before the event.

Full details of the auction, including information about the catalogues and other auction lots, is available on the auction website, http://www.beatlesauction.co.uk/

For details about these, or other specific lots, contact the Beatles Shop manager Stephen Bailey, on 0151 236 8066 or via email auction@thebeatleshop.co.uk

Thursday, 21 June 2012

Highlights of the weekend include performances by The Beatelles, The Rockitts and The Cavernites, as well as appearances by Julia Baird, Sam Leach and Joe Flannery.

The grand finale of the weekend will feature Liverpool's own Fab Four, the Mersey Beatles, who will perform their acclaimed theatre show on the same stage where the Beatles appeared in 1962. Including four costume changes, and music spanning the entire Beatles' history, this is a show not to be missed.

Tickets are still available, priced at only £25 per person for the whole weekend. A limited number of Day Passes are also available at £10

For full details of this great event, or to book, visit the Daytripper website by clicking here

On June 20, beneath the "blue suburban skies" (and yes, the sun really did shine!), the Penny Lane Development Trust hosted a very special celebration.

The PLDT invited the Mersey Beatles, Liverpool's Number 1 Beatles tribute band, to perform a set for the unveiling of an Abbey Road style zebra crossing in Liverpool’s most famous street.

The Mersey Beatles once again, (having played a set at the real Abbey Road studios in 2007 for a Visit Britain event) recreated the famous album cover to officially open "Abbey Road at Penny Lane".

After the photoshoot, the band played a special set - sending 70th Birthday wishes to Macca with a rendition of the 1968 song “Birthday” from the Beatles’ White album. They followed this with “Penny Lane” in recognition of the very special way in which the Penny Lane Development Trust is preserving the original feel of Penny Lane and the surrounding area.

A couple of songs from the “Abbey Road” LP including“Here Comes The Sun” and “Come Together” acted as a nod to the new crossing, before the very appreciative audience was taken on a magical mystery tour through some of the best loved Beatles songs, including “She Loves You”, “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds”, “I Want To Hold Your Hand”, “All You Need Is Love”, and, of course, a rousing finale with everyone singing along to "Hey Jude".

The special guests at the event were a group of disabled war veterans from Israel; Julie Gornell, who organised the event, explained that this was why the event was held on the 20th and not on Paul's birthday. Given the absolute joy on the faces of the veterans as they sang and danced to the music of the Beatles, Paul would surely have approved!

Other guests had the party at travelled from around the UK specifically to join in the celebrations. But whether from near or far, everyone agreed that it had been an amazing event, full of love and laughter and great music.

'Paul' (Steven Howard) in the Mersey Beatles said, "It was a privilege to be involved in this event, and to be able to play the best music in the world for such great people. This should be an annual event. Hope to see you all next year!"

Steven Howard, on behalf of Paul, blowing out the
70 candles on the birthday cake!

For more information on the Penny Lane Development Trust, visit the website by clicking here

Tuesday, 19 June 2012

I've just heard of the death of Victor Spinetti. Victor appeared in three Beatles films and was great friends of all of them.

I met Victor on several occasions. The first time was in 1981 at the Beatles Convention in Liverpool. Victor was the star guest and unveiled a statue to John Lennon. He gave a wonderful speech about John and the whole crowd spontaneously sang 'Give Peace a Chance'. It was a moment I will never forget.

After the convention, I chatted to Victor outside the Adelphi, and then had to leave to get my train home. I asked Victor if he was going back to London too, but he said he was being picked up by a friend. It turned out the friend was Paul McCartney and his family, who gave Victor a conducted tour of Beatles sites in Liverpool! I wish I'd stayed around.

A couple of years later, the organisers of the Convention sold off bricks from the Cavern Club to raise money for Strawberry Field, the salvation army childrens home, that of course inspired John to write one of his most famous songs. At first, sales were slow, but the organisers asked Victor to help to promote the sale. Victor gave an incredible, witty, speech, and when he finished, the queue to buy the bricks was a hundred yards long!

When the Help DVD came out the British Beatles Fanclub had a party at the City Barge Pub, which featured in the film. Victor came along as our guest and it was my privilege to interview him. As usual, Victor was his friendly, funny self. He was one of the best story tellers ever.

Many years ago I found out I was adopted and that my birth mother was from South Wales. She was born only a mile or so from where Victor lived! Victor's family owned the local fish and chip shop. Small world!

Monday, 18 June 2012

At Walton Hospital, Liverpool, on June 18, 1942,
a son , James Paul, to Mary and Jim McCartney

Anything we post here cannot possibly do justice to all the many, many tributes being paid to Paul today. But here's a quick round-up of some of the celebrations and tributes from the city where Paul was born 70 years ago today, as well as some of our favourite links from today!

c. Jean Catherall

The Beatles statue on Cavern Walks, Mathew Street, Liverpool, in the party spirit today!

The Cavern in Liverpool celebrated Paul's birthday with special shows on Saturday and today from the Cavern Club Beatles. To find out more about events in the Cavern celebrating this special day, click here

And the party will continue on Wednesday at Penny Lane, with a performance from the Mersey Beatles at 3pm (free entry).

Photographs of Paul's amazing life have appeared all over the internet today, but these two compilations are worth checking out. Click here to see a beautiful tribute from the Liverpool Beatlescene website, and here to visit the website for Time magazine and see their "70 Iconic Images for 70 Years."

Sunday, 17 June 2012

What better place to celebrate Paul's 70th birthday than at Penny Lane in Liverpool?

On Wednesday June 20, the Penny Lane Development Trust will be hosting a special birthday party for Paul from 3pm to 6pm. (And if you're wondering why the party is on the 20th, and not the 18th, the reason is that a special group of visitors are expected but can't make it until the Wednesday.) There are some great surprises planned for the day, and some exclusive raffle prizes on offer too!

The highlight of the day (besides birthday cake!), will doubtless be the performance from the Mersey Beatles. The band will be playing from 3pm for about an hour and have promised a set that includes songs that pay a special tribute to the birthday boy.

Julie, of the Penny Lane Development Trust, told us: "I really want to thank Donna Jackson from the BBFC for supporting the event, and a special thank you to the Mersey Beatles for managing to fit us in to their very busy schedule. Paul McCartney is close to the heart of many who come and say hello to us at Penny Lane and this will be a fitting tribute to an amazing artist."

Entry for this fabulous event is FREE! So get down to Penny Lane and share in this special event. A splendid time is guaranteed for all!!

For more information on the Penny Lane Development Trust, visit the website by clicking here or check out the article on the BBFC website here

Friday, 15 June 2012

A tour with a difference! Check out the latest blog from APQ for Liverpool John Lennon Airport:

Have you ever travelled through Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport and been surprised to see a shuffling delegation of primary school children on the apron (the area where planes load and unload)? The ones sporting hi-visibility jackets and clutching clipboards. Did you think the airport’s authority was employing underaged ground staff? Don’t let these undersized officials fool you, they were on a school tour.

The bronze John Lennon statue found in the main check-in hall

John Lennon Airport regularly welcomes bands of 7 to 11 year-olds to learn about the history of the airport and how it operates. What separates this particular airport tour from all the rest is the fact that it’s Liverpool John Lennon Airport. The tours also serve as just another way of introducing Liverpool’s Beatlemania to the next generation.

The airport was renamed in honour of celebrated Liverpudlian, John Lennon, in 2002. It’s logo is the sketched self-portrait of the characteristically bespectacled founding band member of The Beatles. Its slogan is “Above us, only sky” – a line from Imagine, Lennon’s peace-inspiring hit song released in 1971. The check-in hall features a 7ft statue of John Lennon sauntering through the crowds. Another dedication to the late singer is at the traffic island near the Hampton by Hilton Hotel (booking offered on this site), where there’s a Yellow Submarine art installation inspired by the song we all know.

You'll see the Yellow Submarine as you drive up to the airport

The children who visit the John Lennon Airport learn about a man who started in Liverpool, travelled from there and soon became celebrated around the world. This tour may inspire them to have high hopes and imagine the possibilities.

Thursday, 14 June 2012

Then how about these notelets exclusively available from St Thomas Lupus Trust?

The image on the front of the notelets was painted by Cynthia Lennon and donated to the trust in support of the very worthy work they do to raise awareness and funds for lupus research.

On the back is the story of the charity's connection with Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds and Julian Lennon. The beautiful cards are blank inside for your own message, and therefore are suitable for any occasion!

All funds raised from the cards (and from future merchandise currently in production) will fund the Lucy Vodden Lupus Research Fellowship,
researching into lupus.

Each pack contains 5 cards and envelopes, and costs £4.50. P&P charges vary according to location, and the Trust can ship worldwide.

For further details and to buy this special and exclusive item, and to support a very worth cause, visit the St Thomas Lupus Trust website by clicking here

Each piece is hand-made, and therefore can be designed to your personal requirements (subject to copyright restrictions on the use of images/logos). Her beautiful beadwork is in high demand; even Yoko Ono owns pieces of her work!

This charm bracelet was made in honour of John Lennon 70th birthday in 2010. The charms represent John's life and includes the words to some of his most famous songs, as well as an apple, a strawberry, a guitar and a pair of John’s trademark round glasses. And of course it includes a dove of peace.

This Paul McCartney charm bracelet includes a photo of Paul (Joanne’s Beads owns the copyright for the pic) as well as a guitar, piano, frog (who can forget Rupert and the Frog Chorus?!) a ram, and a heart (for all of Paul’s Silly Love Songs).

The bracelet for George features charms that represent George’s musical talent, themes from his songs and his love of peace.

The Ringo Starr charm bracelet has charms that each represent Ringo or a famous song or album: peace and love, drums, a camera, an octopus and a bee (Honey Don’t)!

If you can’t choose which Beatle you’d like to have represented on your wrist, how about something like this bracelet with charms of peace and love (the main themes of the Beatles)?!

Joanne has also made jewellery for fans of tribute bands that play the music of the Beatles. This can only be made with the permission of the tribute band involved, but it does made a very special memento of your favourite band!

Thanks to the Mersey Beatles for giving
their permission for this bracelet

Thanks to the Rockits for giving
their permission for this bracelet

These are just examples of pieces that have been created by Joanne’s Beads. As well as bracelets, Joanne can make matching necklaces, ear-rings and key-rings.

For more information, including prices, or to order a piece of unique and special jewellery, contact Joanne at by clicking here or via Joanne’s Beads’ facebook page here